Improvement in stilts



JNITEE STATES NAPOLEON U. AINE,

0E NEw YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN STILTS.

Specification forming part oi Letters Patent No. 144,119 l, dated November 11, 1873 application filed September 12, 1873.

To all ywhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NAPOLEON U. AINEE, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Stilts, of which the following is a specication:

The standards or poles of these improved stilts have in them longitudinal slots or recesses, which are crossed by pins at regular intervals, so that racks are formed in them. The stirrups or foot-pieces are furnished with sleeves, which fit the poles, and in slots which are opposite the racks in the standards dogs are hung in position to engage with the racks, so as to support the stirrups. These racks are weighted to render them ever ready to engage with the racks. The stirrups may, by this means, be adjusted to different positions, as maybe desirable, and thus they may be adapted to boys of any height.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure l is a sectional side View of the portion of a stilt where the stirrup is applied, and Fig. 2 is a side view taken at right angles to the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both gures.

A represents the standard or pole of one of the pairs of stilts, and B indicates the stirrup or foot-piece of the same. In that side of the pole which comes next the leg of the boy or other person using it, there is a narrow recess, a, extending lengthwise along it. A number of pins, e e, crossing this at regular intervals,

constitute a rack and afford a simple and con.- venient means of locking the stirrup in position through the medium of a dog, D, with which it is furnished. The stirrup is furnished with a sleeve, S, which iits the pole, and in the side opposite the rack the dog D is hung in a slot provided for the purpose of enabling it to reach the rack. This dog consists of a rightangled lever-like piece of metal pivoted in place at its middle, and forked at the lower end to enable it the better to fit one or other of the pins in the rack, but at the other end there is a swell-or knob, as it may perhaps more properly be termed-whieh, inladdtion to constituting a handle by whichl the dog may be manipulated to disengage it from the rack, also forms a weight to keepthe dog engaged with the rack.

To raise the stirrup on the pole, it is simply pushed up by the hand. The dog plays over the pins and engages with the one next below the position in which the stirrup is left, and so prevents it from slipping down again. In order to lower the stirrup the dog is disengaged from the rack by means of its handle, and is held out while the stirrup is lowered; but when it reaches the desired place the dog is let go, and then re-engages with the rack, and is secured in position.

Stilts thus made are at once simple, cheap, and strong, and their stirrups can easily be adjusted to any desired position, and when once adjusted are very securely supported.

Vhat I claim as my invention is- The combination of the rack, composed of pins passing through a slot or recess in the standard or pole of the stilt, and the lever-like dog hung within a slot in the stirrup to engage with the rack, substantially as and fon the purpose herein set forth.

NAPOLEON U. AINE.

Witnesses:

HENRY T. BEowN, FRED. HAYNEs. 

